The Crown
By Nancy Bilyeau
(Touchstone, Hardcover, 9781451626858, 416pp.)
Publication Date: January 10, 2012
Other Editions of This Title: Google eBook, Paperback, Audio Cassette, Compact Disc, Compact Disc, MP3 CD
Categories: General, Historical - General, Mystery & Detective - Historical
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An aristocratic young nun must find a legendary crown in order to save her father—and preserve the Catholic faith from Cromwell’s ruthless terror. The year is 1537. . .
Joanna Stafford, a Dominican nun, learns that her favorite cousin has been condemned by Henry VIII to be burned at the stake. Defying the sacred rule of enclosure, Joanna leaves the priory to stand at her cousin’s side. Arrested for interfering with the king’s justice, Joanna, along with her father, is sent to the Tower of London.
The ruthless Stephen Gardiner, Bishop of Winchester, takes terrifying steps to force Joanna to agree to spy for him: to save her father’s life she must find an ancient relic—a crown so powerful, it may hold the ability to end the Reformation. Accompanied by two monks, Joanna returns home to Dartford Priory and searches in secret for this long-lost piece of history worn by the Saxon King Athelstan in 937 during the historic battle that first united Britain.
But Dartford Priory has become a dangerous place, and when more than one dead body is uncovered, Joanna departs with a sensitive young monk, Brother Edmund, to search elsewhere for the legendary crown. From royal castles with tapestry-filled rooms to Stonehenge to Malmesbury Abbey, the final resting place of King Athelstan, Joanna and Brother Edmund must hurry to find the crown if they want to keep Joanna’s father alive. At Malmesbury, secrets of the crown are revealed that bring to light the fates of the Black Prince, Richard the Lionhearted, and Katherine of Aragon’s first husband, Arthur. The crown’s intensity and strength are beyond the earthly realm and it must not fall into the wrong hands.
With Cromwell’s troops threatening to shutter her priory, bright and bold Joanna must now decide who she can trust with the secret of the crown so that she may save herself, her family, and her sacred way of life. This provocative story melds heart-stopping suspense with historical detail and brings to life the poignant dramas of women and men at a fascinating and critical moment in England’s past.
Nancy Bilyeau is a writer and magazine editor who has worked on the staffs of InStyle, Rolling Stone, Entertainment Weekly, and Good Housekeeping. She lives in New York City with her husband and two children. Visit her website www.nancybilyeau.com, friend her on Facebook, and follow her on Twitter.
"Bilyeau deftly weaves extensive historical detail throughout, but the real draw of this suspenseful novel is its juicy blend of lust, murder, conspiracy, and betrayal."--O, The Oprah Magazine
"A must read...Part The Da Vinci Code, part The Other Boleyn Girl, it will keep you guessing until the very end!"--Woman's Day, Book Pick of the Month
“Bilyeau weaves her breathtaking story through a string of events to a pleasing conclusion while giving the reader a more thorough understanding of a complicated bit of history. Historical fiction as it should be.”—The Times-Union
"An engrossing thriller...her extensive historical research shines."--Entertainment Weekly
“[An] inventive thriller…A captivating heroine, Stafford will have you eagerly following every step of her quest.”--Parade
“Captivating thriller…”--All You magazine
"...will appeal to fans of Dan Brown and Philippa Gregory."--Library Journal
“Strong character development, realistic historical detail, and an atmosphere of pervasive tension coupled to a fast-paced plot make it compulsively readable.”—Booklist
"This fast-paced debut delivers Tudor intrigue and mystical thrills in one satisfying package—and leaves room for a sequel."--Kirkus
“All the ingredients for a thriller: murder, violence, intrigue, sex, and religious fanatics.”--examiner.com
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